The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-10-22
THE VITAL QUESTION.

"Hunt bolt" of 1884. They have con-
sll their wonderful energies
on this point. With them it matters
not whether Gen. Nichols is patriot
or statesman or hero-the one thing
about him that attracts their attention
is che bolted" Compared to such Il
crime, murder, burglary, arson, embez-
element, even treason itself sinks into
insiguificance. Like the penitentiary
keeper in Kansas who points out the
convicted whiskey sellers when asked
to exhibit his most horrible and dam
gerous criminals, these ring organs
shout themselves hoarse in denuncia
ton of 'sboIting'' as worse than any
crime in the catalogue, even downright
betrayal of the interests and will of the
people. They do not pretend that
many of the most faithful public men
ever produced by America among them
Samuel ]. Tilden do not frequently de-
nouuce the nominations Of their party
when they consider that the party's
principles have been sacrificed; they
do not pretend that Hunt was not a
good Democrat and worthy of any
mans support; they do not pretend
that the men who supported him, such
as Kernochan, Rogers, and others have
not supported the National Democracy
and been recognized by President
Cleveland as the true opponents of
Democracy in this State. Their logic is
that Cleveland's endorsement amounts
to Nottingham the support of the
National ticket amounts 10 nothing
that devotion TO Democratic principles
and Democratic nominees elsewhere
for lifetime amounts to nothing-if a
single "bolt" has been made, if mans
judgment and conscience has compelled
him to refuse obedience 10 the bchests
of machine politicians for a single time,
he is forever accommodated from the
circle OF true Democrats ia ring-ridden
Louisiana. To our minds, this is puer-
lie twaddle which ought not to influ-
ence an intelligent and honest man.
While boiling is to be condemned from
party standpoint, those who do not
bolt often commit more objectionable
sins against the rights Of the people.
On the other hand the Reform press
hold that the great question to be de-
cided is that of personal or popular
government. Alleging that the Gov
ernor of this State has more patronage
than the Governor of any other State
in the Uniop, even having the power,
and astounding, of ap-
pointing the local legislatures of the
people they contend that popular gov
eminent cannot survive in this State If
a Governor fills all these places with
his personal friends and benchmen in
utter disregard of the wishes of the
people. They point to the fact that
all the assessors, penitentiary lessees,
public printers and all other appointees
of the Governor, with few exceptions,
are ardent partisans of penetrating the
rule of their author, and declare that
tho personalism of the administration
is fast corrupting the public service
and will finally make an autocrat of
the Governor who can safely defy all
efforts to remove him. This, say the
Reformers, is the main question at is
sue aud they think they have selected
as their candidates man who will con-
suit the will of tho people in all Of his
will know no friends in
public business and be guided by no
selfish motives. We think it may we'll
be doubted whether the Reformers can
purge the public service OF personalism
until the political millennium arrives.
Their objection strikes ut the nature of
our government and is really more
damaging TO our laws which put so
much power in the Governors hands
than to the Governor who uses that
power according to the impulses of hu-
man nature. Let the Seformers, at
once, join the Telegraph In its deter
mination TO urge the Legislature to
take the appointment OF assessors and
police Jurors out of the Governors
hands, and the State will be more Sc
cure from personalisIn in the future
than if "A saint were elected Governor